The Snail And The Whale: Tall Stories Theatre Company (Over 4s)

We saw this show at Eastwood Park Theatre on 13th March 2012. I was quite dissapointed in it to be honest and I had gone with high hopes. My daughter (4) didnt quite get the symbolism, she was expecting whales and snails i think.... or at least people dressed as such. She found it hard to understand why the 'dad' was on stage when he was supposed to be away at sea. Perhaps she is just not mature enough to grasp that particular concept. I would have taken my older child, but it was at a time of day when only pre-schoolers could manage and I therefore thought it would be aimed more at their age. The parents got the jokes, but not many of the children did. We were sitting in the back row and the 3 cast members use no microphones, so we couldnt always hear, especially in a noisy theatre full of uninterested pre-schoolers. The violin was a nice touch, as the the wee sing-song at the end, but these highlights were too few. I keep re-reading this review, as i dont want to appear too harsh a critic, but I guess I feel as though althought it was a nice show but it wasnt pitched well for its intended age group.

A narrator/violinist helps weave Julia Donaldson's story of an adventurous snail embarking on a trip round the world on the back of a whale - into a second story of a little girl wanting her dad to come home. The show is interactive, moving at times, fun and captivating. True to the beautiful illustrations of the book, and the rhyming text, the 50-minute long show is fantastic.